With a tensing of her jaw, Bea just barely managed not to throw words back in Vienna’s face. She took a few moments to calm down instead, opening her mouth only when she felt safe. “It wasn’t like that and you know it,” she said, managing to keep her voice even. “You had your own life too, so don’t just throw this all on me.” She could have tried harder to stay in touch with her sister more, but she’d done the best she thought she could at the time. Yeah, she didn’t know every detail, didn’t call every day, but she had tried. So to have Vienna throw that in her face like she’d written everything off when she’d left stung.
It was old shit she didn’t want pulled back up and used against her. It’s not like she could go back and tell her younger self to focus on other things than just herself and her career.
“And you don’t think I’m validated in that?” Bea raised an eyebrow and her voice, crossing her arms tightly over her chest as she said it. “My sister, my baby fucking sister shows up after five years and she’s more a clone of me than she is herself anymore. You don’t think I’m allowed a little time to adjust?” She knew people changed, but it was one thing when it was an acquaintance and a completely different thing when it was family.
Trying to push her irritation back, she felt another pang of anger at the thought of what Vienna had done to get that vehicle. She didn’t want to know, not even a little, because she figured she wouldn’t like the answer. As much as Vienna had never needed protecting, Bea wished she had been there, wondered what Ty had or had not done to help.
“I’m offering,” Bea confirmed with a small quirk of her mouth. “We’ll set you up next to some decent people too, don’t worry.” Maybe, just maybe she’d be able to find something a little nicer for her sister and nephew; there was family housing that Vienna would probably qualify for. But it was better to start in the cell block, just in case. “How much could you have really brought with you anyways?” Most people packed light nowadays.